We at Registry Partners are would like to wish you and your families a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year’s. As we approach the holiday season, we want to take a minute to remind everyone to be safe and not drink and drive.
While car crashes are the leading cause of deaths for ages 15 – 44, the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) estimates that the number of deaths caused by alcohol use related car accidents during Christmas and New Year’s holidays increased by 34%. With the time period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s being the most traveled time frame, we should all take steps to minimize our risks while we are on the road.
For the 2019 season, NHTSA has added to its “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign the “If You Feel Different You Drive Different; Drive High Get A DUI” campaign as a reminder about drug-impaired driving. Drugs can affect your driving and impair your judgment, just like alcohol, and could include some legal prescriptions. Be sure to check your prescription bottle to help determine if your medication should not be used when driving.
We hope that as you take this time to celebrate with your family, that you make the conscious decision not to drink and drive. No one ever intends to cause a motor vehicle accident and injury themselves or another but choosing to drive while impaired could affect many lives forever. Visit Faces of Drunk Driving to see how different people have been affected by an accident. Drunk driving accidents can be 100% preventable. If you choose to drink, have a plan in place prior to drinking that might include having a designated sober driver or using a taxi, or Uber/Lyft.
How can we minimize our risk of being involved in a motor vehicle collision?
- Drive Defensively – be aware of your surroundings, road conditions, and other vehicles near you and drive at safe speeds
- Minimize your distractions – turn your phone off or on do not disturb, have a passenger help navigate, etc.
- Do not accept a ride with someone who you know has been drinking, even if they seem okay
- Because we cannot avoid all accidents, be sure that you are wearing your seatbelts at all times
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Photo by alejandrophotography on iStock